A New Adventure
by Olsnipo
Summary: A selection of one-shots all set in the same "universe". They explore a relationship between Luffy and Nami at different points throughout their lives.
1. A New Adventure

It was midnight aboard the Thousand Sunny and the cold, still air of winter made the world seem frozen in time.

Nami woke with a start. She had fallen asleep reading hours ago and now the lantern on her bedside table had run out of oil, letting the moonlight cascade through the window and onto her face. The spot next to her in the bed was empty, with the sheets thrown back onto her lap. Ignoring the cold sweat sticking to her body she sat up, her head throbbing with the movement.

She glanced down at the book which sat overturned in her hands, before putting it away with a sigh.

It had been five years since they had claimed the One Piece.

Not long after, while on a visit to Cocoyashi village she had asked Luffy to accompany her to Ballamere's grave. She knew how he would respond. Although he was sometimes dense, she felt like there had long been an unspoken agreement between them. Yet she still wanted to hear him say it, to confirm what she believed.

She had first thanked her mother for giving her the chance to live and told her she had found her place. Then she quietly made her peace with Luffy "I would like for us to travel together until the end." Luffy had replied by picking his nose, a frustrated look on his face, "I thought that's how it already was?".

After departing Nami's hometown, they leisurely sailed wherever they pleased, visiting old friends, staying for a bit here and there. But as time wore on Nami began to notice something change in Luffy. He spent a lot of time atop the Sunny's prow, staring blankly into the horizon. A thoughtful look stuck on his face, as if trying to solve some great problem.

She was fairly certain that the cause of his melancholy was due to things slowing down. They rarely had enemies now. There were no longer any marines, and other pirates didn't dare to challenge a king still in his prime.

While the quieter pace seemed to work for most of the crew, Luffy's desire for adventure and excitement had driven him into a depression of sorts.

Back in the present, Nami sighed again. She gazed at the stars through the window for a moment, before gently getting up and putting on a dressing gown.

She quietly closed the door to the captains quarters behind her, then went down the hall, careful not to wake any of the snoring crew as she passed their quarters. She opened the door to the deck and was immediately greeted by the sting of winter air. In an attempt to warm herself, she lifted her hands to her mouth and breathed on them. This did little but create a cloud of steam, which lingered in the still air. Resigning herself to the cold, she crossed the soft grassy deck, to the base of the stairs. The small climb warmed her legs slightly but she was still shivering when she reached the top.

She found Luffy exactly where she thought he would be, perched on the lion's head, a large coat draped over his shoulders and his straw hat sitting snugly on his head. He sat cross legged, his right elbow was on his knee, with his face firmly planted in his hand. His eyes seemed to look at nothing as he stared at the starry horizon. Nami leaned on the balustrade for a moment, observing him. Finally she decided to speak, "Hey."

Luffy glanced around. Seeing nami he turned slightly so he could look at her. "Hey." he replied with a soft smile.

Nami inspected his eyes for a moment. She once thought he was stupid, but the more she had gotten to know him the more she had realised he was smart in his own kind of way. Now that she had seen it, the intelligence in those eyes seemed to pierce her. At first it had made her uncomfortable, but she had come to like the intensity, realising that it was a look only she received. It made her feel like it was imperative to him that he understand her.

"What were you thinking about?" Nami asked.

Luffy set his eyes back on the night sky, a grin spreading across his face. "Do you remember, in Jaya, when I let Bellamere beat up me and Zoro."

Nami smiled "Mhm."

"You were so angry at us for not fighting back!" Luffy laughed at his own statement. "At the time those felt like shit parts of the journey, but thinking back, I still treasure even those moments."

Nami's smile widened, "Sometimes I miss yelling at you." Luffy let loose another laugh and turned his attention back to the woman.

"I miss the excitement Nami, I want to adventure and go discover new places! ... But we've done it all... When I was younger, I would never have dreamed that I'd reach a point where the world feels too small…"

Nami walked to the base of the lion's head and held up her hand, Luffy let his rubber arm stretch down to her, before pulling her up next to him. She immediately tucked herself into his coat and shivered as his body warmth rushed over her. The two of them sat silently for a moment, staring at the stars.

Nami broke their reverie, "I forgot to tell you but I read in yesterday's paper that Old Man Cricket, from Jaya, died."

"Tch, did it say how? Must have been something big if it was published."

Nami sighed "No not really, his lungs finally gave out and he died of decompression sickness. I found it in the obituaries."

Luffy turned to her, "Do you always read the obituaries?"

"We've made so many friends. I like to know that they're safe."

Luffy nodded. "That's a bummer but at least he achieved his dream first."

This time it was Nami's turn to nod. She opened her mouth to speak, then stopped herself. Luffy's gaze drifted back to her, his eyes alight with interest.

"Luffy. I think we need a new dream."

Nami waited for Luffy to reply but he just stared at her. Without breaking his gaze she put on a determined face and spoke, "Do you want to have a child?"

Luffy grinned at her "You want to have children? Out here? On the ocean?"

"Why not?" replied Nami, "Everyone on this ship is the best at what they do. You couldn't find a more reliable bunch anywhere. Besides, they will have the King of the Pirates to protect them, security doesn't get much better than that. "_Or cheaper" She thought to herself._ It will be a new adventure. We can show our children the whole world. A world they've never seen before!"

Luffy nodded and placed his hand on his chin, thinking for a moment. "Nami, what is the ship's bearing?"

"Due East" replied the navigator, slightly confused.

"So we'll see the sunrise from here real soon." Luffy said.

He settled his gaze back on the horizon, Nami was slightly confused for a moment but quickly followed suit. She knew that it was best to just go along with his odd behaviour sometimes.

Protected from the cold air by Luffy's coat and each others warmth, they waited together for the dawn.

Just as the sun was starting to peak above the ocean and the vista was bathed in swathes of pink light, Luffy smiled and turned to Nami.

"Ok. Let's do it."


	2. A Welcome Visitor

Hello everyone, thanks to all of you who read my last story. It was heartwarming to get such a positive response. I thought I should introduce the plan for this series, as I said nothing about it in the first story.

So for starters, I would like to make a collection of one-shot stories that builds pleasantly upon the One Piece world. The aim is to enjoy the feeling of the world expanding a bit, while still trying to stay true to the characters behaviours and interactions.

I will jump all over the place in terms of timeline. This one for example is set during the timeskip. While the last, was five years after discovering the One Piece. The story after this one will likely be set eight years after discovering the One Piece. Despite this I would like for you to think of them as being in the same "universe", I will reference previous stories to build upon my take of the One Piece world.

I'm not going to change or assume any major plotlines, this is for the sake of longevity and the feeling of immersion. Things may occur in the Manga that contradict the story, however I'd like to avoid this as much as possible. As such, details like what the One Piece is and how it was acquired won't be talked about. Instead the focus will be on the strawhat's (LuffyxNami primarily) more intimate interactions.

In terms of how often I'll post, you can expect at least one story a fortnight, maybe two.

Anyway enough of the boring stuff. I hope you are as excited to read these as I am to write them! Favourites and follows are always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any sort of review, I enjoy reading them all, whether it's criticism, feedback or a compliment.

Lots of love to you all and enjoy the story!

\- Snips

**A Welcome Visitor**

Luffy lay awake on a simple matt, his body warmed by a waning fire. He stared aimlessly at the stars above him.

The night enveloped Luffy. While Rayleigh had been on the island, he had been able to avoid getting lost in his own mind. There had always been questions to ask and lessons to learn. He had intentionally let his training consume him. But now, Rayleigh was gone and he had become painfully aware of how alone he was in this hostile land.

He rolled over, hoping that his discomfort was just physical and could be solved simply by repositioning his aching muscles. The movement did little however and he resigned himself to another restless night in the jungle.

He had always liked the jungle, he understood it. After all him, Ace and Sabo had grown up there. Back then, the jungle had been unanimous with brotherhood and adventure. Now the chirping of strange birds and the growls of large beasts only reminded him that he had no family left. Sure his grandfather and father were still alive but Garps position in the Navy and his Fathers estrangement meant he would never have normal relationships with them. Ace and Sabo had been like minded people. People who he could share his dreams, aspirations and fears with.

The last log in the fire finally burnt out and the soft glow of light faded away. He took this as a sign that it was time to try sleeping again and closed his eyes. His patience didn't even last a minute before he snapped them back open and grumbled. He lay like a starfish on the matt, scowling at the sky, as if it were somehow at fault for his restlessness.

"I want to see everyone again…." Luffy muttered to himself. His thoughts drifted to his Nakama, memories of their smiling faces and warm laughs filling his mind. "Only three more months." He whispered to himself glumly.

With sleep eluding him, Luffy decided the best course of action was a walk to the beach. He stood up and stretched, then placed his hands on his hips. "Which way was the beach again?" he mused, his head slightly tilted.

He replied to himself with a laugh,"Well it's an island so there would have to be a beach in every direction."

His navigation problems solved, Luffy wandered off the way he was already facing. He strolled through the palm trees and brush, his hands behind his head.

A cool breeze blew through his raven hair and was a welcome change to the scorching days the island was experiencing this week. He grinned to himself, despite his worries he still relished the feeling of being alive.

Luffy emerged onto the beach between two palm trees, he kicked off his sandals and buried his toes in the sand, feeling the warmth from the day still present in the grains. The frothy bubbles on the small waves crashing in front of him shone with silver light reflected from the moon.

He sat down and rested his head on his hands, staring out across the great expanse of ocean. Coming to the beach had seemed like a good idea but now that he was here, he wasn't sure what to do. Without anything to keep him busy, old memories dominated his mind. He flopped onto his back and groaned.

While staring across the beach, lost in thought, his eyes caught a small bright object glimmering in the sand. Thinking the mysterious item was better than the intrusive thoughts that accompanied boredom, he stood up and walked over to it. Bending down he realised it was a small silver coin. He picked it up and observed it briefly.

"Buried treasure?" he wondered. He thought about digging it up.

"Meh." he said tossing the coin over his shoulder and walking back to the edge of the jungle. He hardly got halfway there when he stopped abruptly. _I bet Nami would like a pile of treasure _he thought. He didn't stop to question his motivation, he preferred just to follow his impulses most of the time. He went back to where the coin had been and started quickly scooping out sand. He kept shoveling with all his might, his already sore body screaming in protest. When he finally stopped and looked up, Luffy found himself almost 10 metres down.

A small pang of disappointment hit him.

"Guess the coin just washed up from the ocean." He lay down, curling himself slightly to fit in the tight space. This hole seemed as good a place as any to try to get some sleep, especially with his sore arms not wanting to move.

The exhaustion overwhelmed him and he fell into a restless sleep. Images of a young Ace and Sabo ran through his dreams.

The two older boys were teasing Luffy by running away from him through a forest, their longer legs allowing them to easily lose him. Luffy called out desperately but they disappeared into the tree's. He walked around pleading them to come out, tears forming in his eyes. Just when he was about to start bawling, he heard his name being called.

"Luffy."

He spun around searching for the source of the sound.

"LUFFY!" the voice yelled, this time it was clear the voice was above him. He looked up but could only see blue sky.

"Luffy, wake up!"

Luffy's eyes snapped open, a small amount of sand irritating them. "_Oh that's right I was at the bottom of the hole." _He thought to himself.

"Luffy!"

Startled he looked up. Leaning over the edge of the hole was the outline of a woman's head, silhouetted by the starlight. Not responding he stretched his arms up to the edges and pulled himself up, landing neatly opposite the woman.

"It is you!" The woman exclaimed.

Without responding Luffy began pinching both his arms at once.

"You're not dreaming." The woman said with a grin.

Despite the assurance Luffy continued his pinching, staring blankly into her eyes.

The woman's grin turned to frustration. She stepped around the hole and using her fist like a club, gave Luffy a hard whack over the head. He fell butt-first onto the sand and grabbed the fresh lump on his head.

"Ouch!". He complained.

After the initial shock passed he rubbed the bump. It felt very real and very round. He took his hands off his head and slapped his fist into his palm.

"Ah! you must be the real Nami."

"Of course I am." replied Nami, only a small amount of annoyance left it her voice. Luffy stood up, facing his navigator, they both grinned for a moment. Then Nami leapt towards her captain, Luffy grabbed her mid air and pulled her into a hug. He grinned as he felt the warmth of his friend. The hug felt like a huge relief, then Nami's chest began to heave. A moment later tears spilled out onto his back.

"I am so sorry I wasn't there when….. I'm sorry I couldn't help you." Her words came out clearly but Luffy could feel her chest shaking against him.

"It's ok. There was nothing you could do. And I still have you and the rest of our Nakama."

Nami pulled herself off Luffy, then smiled softly and nodded.

"We should get away from the...er...hole… Why were you in a hole Luffy?" The boy laughed at Nami's question, a grin still plastered to his face.

"It's a boring story. Don't worry about it."

Luffy started walking up the beach. Nami follow behind, not bothering to push any further as she wiped the tears off her cheeks.

Luffy sat down at the edge of the Jungle, Nami joined him and they looked out into the ocean.

"How did you end up here?" Asked Luffy.

"For the past two years I've been studying weather science on a moving sky island called Weatheria. The Weatheria scientists have stopped here to get data on the island's weather conditions. Apparently there are 48 different seasons here."

Luffy nodded, "It gets pretty crazy. Does that mean you're going to stay for a while?"

Nami shook her head, looking disappointed. "Weatheria is powered by wind. Out here in the calm belt there is no wind, which means the island is running on energy from the weather ball. We can only stay here for a few hours before we'll need to head back and repower the weather ball. It's lucky me and Haredas flew straight over your hole though, when I saw it I thought someone might have left some treasure in it. I knew it was unlikely-." Nami raised a fist in determination, Berri's in her eyes "but I'd never let an unguarded treasure slip by me."

Luffy laughed and looked at Nami. "What a coincidence! Well I'm glad I get to see you anyway." He turned his gaze back out to the ocean, a more serious look on his face.

"Do you think everyone else will make it back in three months?"

Nami placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure they will. I promise we'll all be there. We are like family."

Luffy nodded but Nami could tell he wasn't totally reassured.

"Give me your shirt Luffy."

Luffy looked down at his top. He was wearing the same yellow vest that he'd worn in Marineford. Hancock had provided him with new clothes but he still used this shirt on occasion. Despite the beating it had taken during the Summit War, it was in surprisingly good shape and he'd seen no reason to throw it away.

"Why?"

Nami rolled her eyes "Just give it here."

Luffy shrugged and complied, pulling the vest over his head. Nami took it and then reached into the backpack she was carrying. She removed a small sewing kit and got to work dismantling the fabric. Luffy seemed concerned his property but let it be.

While Nami worked away with her needle and thread, the two of them sat in the night. They shared stories about their training and dreamed of the future. Luffy showed Nami his haki and tried his best to understand when she explained the weather science she had been learning. Having company cheered Luffy up considerably, even when they both just sat silently.

After a time nami stopped sewing. She inspected her creation and then turned to Luffy.

"Stand up and close your eyes." Luffy complied, grinning the whole time.

With his eyes shut, the only things in Luffy's world were the sound of waves crashing and Nami's soft breathing. He felt a tug on his waist.

"Ok. Open them."

Luffy followed the instructions and looked down. Tied around his waist was a bright yellow sash. An end had been tucked through at the front and dangled down by his left leg.

"OOOOOOO! This is perfect for a pirate!" exclaimed Luffy excitedly. Nami stood a couple of meters in front of him, admiring her handiwork.

"Mhmm." She replied.

She walked a couple of steps closer "This sash is a promise. I know the rest of the crew aren't here, but I'm sure they'd all agree with me saying this. We'll definitely be there at Sabaody. Every single one of us."

Luffy nodded, a sparkle in his eye.

Nami gave Luffy one more satisfied glance before looking up at the sky. The stars had moved a long way since they had first sat down and dawn was just around the corner.

"I need to meet Haredas at the pickup location or I'll be stuck here. We both need to finish our training so we are ready for the New World." With a determined look on his face, Luffy nodded and raised his hand. "Let's meet again when we are ready to take on the whole world."

Nami matched the boys determination and high fived his open palm "Yosh." She said with a smile.

With the exchange complete Nami grabbed her bag and ran off into the jungle. Luffy watched her until the tree's totally obscured her, then flopped down onto the sand.

"Only three more months." He mumbled drowsily, a small grin lingering on his face.

He closed his eyes and a warm sleep enveloped him immediately.


	3. The Night Raid

Another chapter! Not sure exactly when this takes place but it's sometime after finding the One Piece. I imagined it to be in the months just after. Wanted to do something different than sappy late-night talks and had this idea, I hope you like it!

**The Night Raid**

Luffy and Nami were crouched behind the huge barrels of cola in the power room of the Thousand Sunny. The navigator swayed slightly, struggling to keep her balance due to a combination of alcohol and the ship's movement.

Luffy giggled with blushed cheeks as his partner wrestled with such a simple stance.

"Ok, here's the plan Luffy." the soldiers helmet she was wearing playfully on her head fell in front of her eyes. She clumsily pushed it back up onto her head then continued. "I'll butter him up and you get the goods."

Luffy nodded enthusiastically, "Yosh."

"Then you give me the signal and we'll boot it." Luffy nodded again, saliva dripping from his mouth. "Then I'll get my snack and we can go to bed!"

Nami raised her hand for a high five and Luffy returned the gesture with a grin.

They clumsily stood up and made their way out of the room. They winded through the Sunny's corridors until they reached the kitchen door. They stood either side of the door peeking through the porthole into the room.

Robin sat at the end of the table, her legs crossed and a large book half closed in hand, her index finger tucked in to mark the page she was on. She was smiling at Zoro as he poured her another cup of sake, spilling droplets all over the table as he pulled the bottle away.

Sanji was working away on the pile of dishes that had accumulated hours ago, when the party first started. He picked up a half-full glass of red wine from behind the sink and took a sip before returning to his task.

Nami turned to Luffy, "Go under the table, behind the bench and straight to the fridge." Luffy nodded. Nami put on a determined expression then burst into the room.

"Sanji-kun!"

The three people in the room all turned their attention to the newcomer. While they were distracted Luffy used the opportunity to quickly slip under the tablecloth to safety.

Sanji had focused all of his attention on Nami, his eyes painted with hearts, "Yes Nami-swwwaan!"

Nami shot a quick glance back to the door, relieved to see it empty, before beginning her ruse. "I was hoping you could make me a drink to help with the alcohol. I'm feeling light-headed." This wasn't a lie, just standing still was a struggle for her at the minute.

"Of coarse, Nami-swan." He half danced, half walked to the bench and removed a handful of oranges from the fruit basket.

Zoro turned to face Nami, his cheeks were pink but his words came out clear and sober. "What. Can't hold your liquor no more?"

Nami was surprised by how insulted she felt by the comment.

"I haven't been properly dunk in so long I thought it would be fun to have spirits tonight." She smiled off dreamily as she remembered the different cocktails mixed with gin and vodka she'd been drinking throughout their festivities. Zoro laughed and took another swig of sake.

"I only drink spirits and you don't see me needing a fix-me-up from the shitty cook." Sanji was too busy pouring his heart into Nami's drink to notice the insult. Robin chuckled at the exchange, not taking her eyes off the book.

Under the table Luffy was trying to figure out if the coast was clear. Sitting here, he realised that their plan sucked. Even he had figured that out. Nami was the thief AND the lockpick, she should have been the one going for the fridge. But he was desperate for meat and it was too late to change the plan now, he decided to just take his chances. He shuffled under the table, making his way towards the back of the bench. He poked his head out from under the table cloth slightly to check out the situation.

Looking left the coast was clear, he could hear Sanji in front of him working away on Nami's orange juice. He turned his head to the right, ready to make a break for the fridge but staring down at him, a surprised look on his face, was Zoro. Seeing each other made both of them jump and Luffy smacked his head on the underside of the table, causing a loud *thud* to echo throughout the room.

"Lu-" before the swordsman could finish his exclamation an arm appeared on his chest and held a finger to his lips, motioning for him to be quiet. Above the table Luffy heard Robin whisper something to Zoro. The swordsman grinned and turned his attention back to the table, pretending that nothing was amiss.

Luffy sighed in relief, then made his way to the back of the bench. He edged along towards the fridge, sweat dripping down his brow. Being stealthy was stressful, it made Luffy feel a new appreciation for Nami's skills.

Reaching the end of the bench he poked his head around into the kitchen. Sanji was bent over, humming to himself while juicing the oranges. Nami was standing at the opposite end of Luffy and she immediately noticed him.

The navigator had to stop herself from laughing, Luffy's eyes and brow were the only thing visible around the edge he was kneeling. Sweat dripped from his face and his eyes seemed nervous. It made him look like he was robbing a bank, not a fridge. Nami thought the scene was cute, but she doubted many other women would agree with her. She raised her eyebrows and pointed very quickly to the fridge.

Luffy stuck his hands out and tried to mimic the action of a lock being opened. Nami immediately realised the huge floor in their plan; the giant chain that Sanji wrapped around the fridge, as well as a combination lock that hung on the handle. She must have been drunker than she thought, it was rare for her to miss a detail in a plan, especially one as glaringly obvious as this one.

"Sanji-Kun, could I please have some ice with that?"

"Anything for you Nami-swan."

Luffy ducked back behind the bench as soon as he realised what Nami was doing. The chef danced past where Luffy had been only a moment before and headed for the fridge, it took Sanji a full minute to unlock it. He reached for the freezer compartment and grabbed a handful of ice. As he was halfway closing the doors he heard a scream from the kitchen.

"SANJI-KUN THERE'S A SPIDER."

The chef's eyes bursted with flames and he dashed back over to Nami, dropping the ice on the ground.

"Worry not! Your prince shall protect you!"

Luffy eyed the open fridge with wonder. Since they had started living on the Thousand Sunny he'd never gotten this far. To Luffy, the fridge was an unexplored dreamscape, filled with the most marvelous things his mind could conjure. He crawled over, then stood up, using the open door to obscure Sanji's view.

The light from the fridge seemed to blind Luffy as if it were from heaven itself. He blinked a couple of times so his eyes could adjust. Saliva began to drip down his chin as he beheld the contents.

Half of the fridge was filled with meat, of all different animals, cuts and sizes. How was he supposed to choose? He realised he didn't care what it was, as long as it was meat. He grabbed as much as his arms could hold and then turned around, his face filled with euphoric excitement as he came into view around the door.

Now that he had the meat in his hands, Luffy had forgotten about the situation entirely. He strolled back through the kitchen, chewing on a drumstick, his eyes closed happily. '_That idiot, isn't even trying to be stealthy' _Nami thought to herself.

Luckily Sanji was on the floor, inspecting every crack with a magnifying glass, looking for the non-existent spider. He didn't notice as the captain walked past him and towards the door.

Zoro was almost in tears trying to not laugh at Sanji's stupidity. Robin giggled, feeling a bit bad for the well-intentioned chef.

"Let's go to bed Nami." Luffy said absentmindedly, as he walked out onto the deck.

"Don't forget about the spider Sanji, I don't think I'd be able to eat here knowing it's around."

Dooming Sanji, Nami grabbed her drink and dashed out of the kitchen, quickly catching up to Luffy. She looked at his arms and laughed when she saw how much he had taken.

"I thought you wanted a snack?" She questioned.

"Mhmm." was the only reply she received.


	4. The Pale Green Light Part 1 of 3

Hello again everyone! Thank you once more for taking the time to read my story. I apologise for this update being slightly late, I decided I wanted to do a proper short story arc and spent far too long planning and not writing. Anyway, this story will be the first of a three part series. I will shift the focus slightly off of Luffy and Nami and more onto a developing plot line, however they are still the primary characters and their interactions will be present in every part. After this three part series is completed in a couple of weeks, I will likely go back to writing one-shots that all tie together. I hope you enjoy it!

**The Pale Green Light: Part 1/3**

"Nami, come here!"

The navigator almost fell off the hammock when she heard the yell. Catching herself before she could fall, she jumped down and rushed outside.

Luffy sat on the prow of the small sloop, excitedly looking out into the ocean ahead. Nami immediately noticed that the thick fog that had been surrounding their ship for the last couple of days was still present. She walked up behind Luffy and tried to find what he had spotted through the mist.

"I can't see anything?"

"Just wait a sec." Replied the man without moving his eyes.

Nami moved her focus back to the fog and sure enough, a moment later, she saw a dull green light flash through the clouds. She furrowed her brow. It was too low to be a lighthouse but it didn't seem to move on the ocean, meaning it couldn't be a ship.

"What do you think it is?" Asked Luffy hopefully.

"... I don't know."

The light flashed again and this time it unsettled the navigator. The hue of green seemed poisonous, almost a warning more than a calling. Her instinct was to avoid it and she once would have tried to convince her partner that was the best option. But she knew it was pointless. They had been on the small boat for days without entertainment and Luffy was desperate for action.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the raven haired man sniffing the air. "Whatever it is, it smells good!"

All of a sudden the boat stopped with a small thud and Nami lurched forward. Without looking around Luffy stretched an arm and caught her, stopping her from hitting the ground.

"What the…"

He placed the woman back on her feet then reached an arm out towards the flashing light. His hand grabbed something solid and he laughed. "I thought it was ages away but it's right in front of us! This fog is crazy!"

Nami leaned over the edge of the boat and tried to see what they had hit. Floating just above the water was a platform of metal grates, small waves splashed through the square holes. Luffy hopped down and checked his footing.

"Feels solid, it's definitely not floating." He said with a grin.

Nami was struggling to share in his enthusiasm. This shouldn't be here.

She had asked Luffy to come with her while the Sunny was being coated for Fishman Island, intending to chart the sea in the corner of the Calm belt and the Red line, south of Sabaody. All the maps she'd seen of the area so far had no locations recorded in this area. Much less a man-made platform.

"Wait a sec, Luffy." Nami ran back into the cabin and grabbed her clima-tact. Better to be prepared.

Returning outside she vaulted over the edge of the sloop and joined Luffy on the grates.

Giving her an excited grin, her captain began pacing forwards, hands behind his head. "Man, I can't see anything. You reckon there's nothing else attached? Just a giant platform?"

Nami shook her head. "You wouldn't bother to build something like this if it didn't have a purpose."

Luffy whistled as they strolled further away from their boat, his excitement seeming to grow with each step. Nami felt herself becoming more and more unsettled, it felt like they were doing exactly what someone wanted them too and she never liked that.

While Nami was trying to make sense of their surroundings she heard Luffy yell excitedly. "I see something!" He then sniffed the air. "And it's where the good smell is coming from!" She removed herself from her thoughts and looked ahead. Bleeding through the fog in front of them was a soft yellow light. While she didn't find it comforting she was glad it wasn't the sickly green from the start. She stopped Luffy before he could get any closer, grabbing him by the collar.

"I know it's been a while since we've had a proper fight but I have a bad feeling about this. Remember we have a child, neither of us can afford to die here."

Luffy waved a hand dismissively "Of course, Bella is my number one priority." Nami sighed, despite his reassurance his eyes were full of meat.

"Now let's go to the smell!" He faced back towards the light and started towards it, a small jig in his step. Nami sighed again then followed suit.

Luffy yelled with joy and Nami stopped in her tracks when they saw the source of the light. It was coming from the large windows of what appeared to be a restaurant, standing alone on the otherwise barren platform. Through the windows they could see wooden tables, made and ready for guests but all of them were empty.

"It just shouldn't be here…"

Luffy gave her a confused look "We found Sanji in a place like this."

"It was a very different vibe, Luffy. No fog or creepy green lights and it wasn't in an almost abandoned part of the Grand Line."

Luffy shrugged, "Then we'll just have to ask the chef what he's doing out here."

Nami conceded, she had ways to convince Luffy she was right on every matter other than meat and fighting. When it came to those two things it was almost impossible to influence him. Putting on a smile she decided to just go along with things. Besides she'd feel better after a proper meal.

A bell rang as they opened the door and the heat of the room rushed over them. Nami slouched slightly, her tension dispelled by the relaxing warmth.

Luffy glanced around, like a dog looking for a bone. "Where's the meat?"

A frail, raspy voice answered him. "Take a seat sir and I'll bring it out."

The couple jumped as an old man dressed in a tuxedo stepped out from behind the open door. Luffy licked his lips and grabbed Nami's wrist, pulling her to the nearest table.

"Wait Luff-"

He sat Nami down gently before quickly getting into his own seat and slapping his hands on the table.

"All the meat please grandpa!"

Nami swivelled around in her seat to look at the man, a serious expression on her face. "Could you please bring us a menu, I'd like to know the prices."

Luffy pouted. "We have more than enough money to spend on meat."

Nami waved a finger at him. "If we thought that about everything, we would have been broke years ago."

The old man coughed and interrupted them. "Everything is free. The master rarely gets visitors." He flashed them a smile, revealing a row of brown stained teeth. A shiver went down Nami's spine at the gesture.

Luffy whooped with excitement. Before the navigator could get a word in, the butler turned brusquely and strode through a door at the back of the room. Luffy hummed to himself, doing a little dance with his knife and fork.

Nami watched the door swing shut then turned to Luffy. "This is super weird."

"They're giving us food, so they're good people right?"

"We've talked about this numerous times. If someone gives you something for no reason, it's because there actually is a reason."

Luffy whacked his fist on the table. "Yeah! They're nice!"

"Occasionally. But I don't think so this time."

Nami's face became focused.

"What worries me, is that I can't see what anyone would have to gain from this. Maybe they're slavers? But they're so far from anyone and in this fog. It's like they're desperate to hide something."

Luffy shrugged.

"Let's just ask when the old guy gets back."

The two waited for the butler to return. But after an hour there was no sign of him and Luffy began to moan.

"Namiiiiiii, why is he taking so long."

He wilted like a flower and his head hit the table. Nami pat his raven hair, gently trying to comfort him.

"Who knows. We can leave if you want?"

The man lifted his head, a look of betrayal in his eyes.

"And leave the meat?"

Nami knew this was not an option but she had wanted to avoid suggesting the other one. She resigned herself with a sigh.

"Maybe we should go look for him then? Can't be much back there."

Luffy hopped up and started walking towards the door that the butler had used. He turned his head without stopping, "Ok, let's go."

He waited for Nami at the door, tapping his foot softly. When she caught up. He hesitated for a moment. Nami was praying that behind, they would find nothing more than a simple kitchen. Her heart raced as Luffy turned the handle and slowly opened the door.

Instead of a kitchen, they found themselves in a small, dark room. The room was made from concrete, floor to ceiling and not a single object was present. The only thing of interest was a double set of silver doors on the wall in front of them.

"An elevator." Whispered Nami.

Without hesitation Luffy crossed the room and pressed the button. He turned back to Nami looking annoyed.

"They're making us work for this meat. I just wanna eat."

Nami ignored his comment and inspected the doors.

"Do you think it goes up or down?"

Just as Luffy was about to reply they heard a bing and the doors opened. Luffy grabbed Nami and pulled her in. He reached for the controls and pressed the only available button. Before Nami could utter a word of protest they began their ascent.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The butler knelt in a large room shrouded in darkness. A sickening sucking noise filled the chamber and the stench of death permeated the air.

Sweat ran down the butler's brow as he addressed his lord.

"You have two new guests, master. One appears to be the King of the Pirates."

Hearing the words, the creature in the darkness halted it's feasting and two hungry red eyes appeared through the shadows.

"He thinkssssss he is the ssstrongest. But he knowsss not of those that lurk in darknessssssss." The voice gurgled as it spoke and sounded as if a chain was being drawn accross it's vocal chords. "He will soon disssssscover there are beasts who hunger for thingsss more primal than money and power."

END OF PART 1


	5. The Pale Green Light Part 2 of 3

**The Pale Green Light: Part 2/3**

Nami hid behind Luffy and dug her nails into his shoulders as the elevator came to a stop. Her brow dripped with sweat as the doors slid open to reveal nothing but darkness. Luffy's nose twitched, then he stuck his tongue out in disgust. "Definitely doesn't smell good up here."

Nami nodded and drew her clima-tact. With a flick of her wrist the staff was extended and after another small motion, a bright blue flame appeared on the top, illuminating their surroundings.

Nami's stomach sank some more as she looked at the decrepit hallway before them. It looked as if nobody had bothered to clean the place in years. Rubbish littered the floor and stains of all shapes and colours splattered the concrete walls. What concerned her the most though was the huge scratch marks that covered everything.

Her voice quivered as she spoke to Luffy. "W-w-what do you think can do that?"

Luffy shrugged at her question and started down the hallway. Nami let out a little squeal and then followed him, not wanting to be left behind.

They followed the hallway for a short while then came upon a small room. Including the entrance they walked through there were four doors, one on each wall. Luffy rubbed his chin thoughtfully then sniffed the air.

He turned to Nami and gave her a serious expression. "You're right, something seems a little off here."

The navigator nodded her agreement, a slight look of annoyance on her face. "You just realised? Anyway I'm voting that we leave but I know you don't want to, so which door?"

Luffy raised a finger, a serious expression on his face "You're right, the smell of meat is gone but the smell of adventure is now ripe." He inhaled deeply. "All of them are probably fun…"

Nami inspected each of the openings, the first two contained nothing but darkness but as she was looking through the last one, she heard an agonising scream. The hair on the back of her neck rose, not in fear but concern. It was the voice of a child.

The two pirates looked at each other, sharing an identical look of determination. With nothing but a nod they walked briskly through the third door.

As they paced through the darkness, the screams grew louder. Nami, now leading the way, broke into a jog and Luffy followed suit. The screams continued to grow in volume and Nami could swear that they were becoming more painful as well.

Seeing an iron door at the end of the hall the couple broke into a sprint. Luffy tapped Nami on the shoulder and she fell back behind him. In a swift motion he stretched his arm back then shot it into the door, blowing it off its hinges.

Luffy shadowed his eyes with his hat and Nami gasped as they saw what the room held. Chained to a stone slab in the centre of the room was a small, white-haired boy, no older than 6. His body was malnourished and covered in scratches and scars, his skin was tight and leathery, clinging to his bones. Nami had seen few adults in similar condition, let alone a child. Her body became overwhelmed with anger.

"Screw what I said earlier about being careful Luffy, we're going on a rampage."

The captain nodded as he made his way over to the stone slab. Covering his hands in haki, he shattered each of the cuffs in turn. Then he lifted the boy carefully and cradled him in his arms.

He looked back at Nami, "He's asle-" Nami covered her ears as the boy let out another agonising wail.

Luffy flexed his jaw trying to rid the ringing in his ears "...He's asleep."

Nami walked over and put two fingers to the boy's throat. She carefully counted under her breath.

"30 bpm, I'm not a doctor but that is incredibly slow. I wonder if he's in a coma?"

Luffy shook his head, "If you don't know, I definitely don't. I don't think we should wake him though, if we even could. He's better off asleep right now."

Nami nodded her agreement, "Tie him to my back, you need to be able to fight unhindered."

Luffy handed the child Nami then took the yellow sash off from his waist and tied it around her, making a small seat on her back for the boy. With Luffy's help she carefully transferred the boy to her back and slung his arms over her shoulders. As they exited the room she unconsciously began stroking the child's hair and cooing in an attempt to comfort him.

They made their way back to the room with the doors and without hesitation Luffy went through one of the two that they hadn't explored yet. Nami followed suit, she knew it didn't matter which way they went. They were going to tear this place apart until they found the person responsible for the child's suffering.

Unlike the first passage they had followed, this one didn't end in a room. Instead after walking through a large opening they found themselves on a suspended metal walkway. Below them was a large room filled with furnaces, the soft red light coming from the fires gave everything an orange tinge. People with sunken eyes and stomachs threw bodies into the flames, making no expressions or sound as they went about their labor.

Luffy looked down in disgust. "What the hell!" Before Nami had a chance to take in her surroundings, Luffy had leapt down from the walkway. He approached two men lifting a lifeless body from a large pile in the centre of the room.

"Oi, what's going on here? Who's responsible for all this?"

The two men glanced at Luffy with glassy eyes, then continued to carry the body to the nearest furnace, completely ignoring the pirate.

Luffy followed them feeling annoyed, "Oi, answer me!"

Continuing to be ignored, Luffy looked up at the walkway to Nami. "They're like zombies and not the kind from Thriller Bark. Like actually lifeless ones."

Nami raised an eyebrow, "Let's just keep searching, no point sticking around if they won't talk."

Hearing a new voice above them one of the men that Luffy had tried to talk to earlier looked up. As soon as he saw the navigator and the boy on her back he dropped the body he was carrying and his finger flew up, pointing at the pair. His mouth opened unnaturally wide and a high pitch scream filled the air. Hearing the noise the rest of the people in the room stopped their work and joined, pointing and screaming at Nami.

Luffy clamped his hands over his ears. The noise felt like it was trying to destroy his mind. With a look of pain on his face he yelled as loud as he could. "STOP IT!". His voice was lost to the choir of screeching. Nami began to panic as the sound continued, all of the gaping mouths pointed at her made her feel as if they wanted to devour her soul. The boy on her back began to writhe and squirm, desperately trying to escape the cacophony.

"I SAID STOP IT." Luffy stamped his food on the ground and released a wave of conquerors haki. In an instant all the people collapsed on the floor and the noise stopped. Luffy shook his head, trying to clear his mind.

The boy on Nami's back settled as the screaming stopped but Nami's heartbeat did not.

"What. The. Hell. Was. That."

Luffy stretched his arms up to the walkway and shot himself back up, landing neatly next to Nami.

"I have no idea, maybe they don't like you holding the boy?"

Nami looked over her shoulder at the gaunt child.

The navigator shuddered and shook her hands, as if trying to rid herself of a curse.

"Sure seemed like it."

There must be more to the child than they thought.

Luffy gave her arm a gentle squeeze then continued down the walkway.

"Come on, we need to figure out what's going on."

They walked through an opening at the end of the walkway and back into darkness. As soon as they crossed the threshold of the door a large stone slab slammed down behind them, trapping them inside.

Nami groaned, "It's just one thing after another with this place."

Luffy shrugged, "We were gonna go forward anyway so it doesn't matter."

The navigator increased the strength of the flame protruding from her clima-tact and illuminated their surroundings.

They were in a large circular chamber, like the rest of the building everything was made from dark concrete. The ceiling of the chamber stretched far higher than Nami's light could reach but she still thought she could make out some objects, suspended in the air.

The only door in the room, apart from the one they entered through, was directly opposite them. They crossed the floor and inspected it. Similar to the one they entered through, a large stone slab blocked this one as well.

Luffy stretched back his arm and swung it forward, as soon as he connected with the stone his arm went limp and dropped to the floor.

A hissing laugh filled the air with foul noise.

Luffy looked up, trying to find the source of the sound.

"I can sense some animals but nothing with intelligence. Just you, me and the kid." He whispered.

Nami clasped the hands of the child tightly, preparing herself for whatever was about to happen.

"It'sssss a good thing you came." droplets of liquid began to fall from the ceiling. "We are always hungry."

Before either could react a dark form swooped down and threw Luffy into a wall. Nami let out a yell as the creature spun faster than should be possible and charged towards her. She closed her eyes, anticipating the pain that would come with impact.

But it never did, she felt something whoosh over her head and her back lighten.

"NO!" she yelled, as the creature took the boy.

"Thisssss belongs to me."

As quickly as it had arrived, the creature flew back into the darkness of the ceiling. She looked to where Luffy lay, "_Why hasn't he gotten up yet?" _Her eyes grew wide when she saw his chest. Three huge gashes ran from his neck all the way down to his waist. Looking dazed, he slowly pushed himself up.

"My observation haki doesn't work on him, so I didn't see it coming. It's not as bad as it looks." He said with a groan.

The creature laughed above them again.

"Feeeed my ssssweetss and bring me their blood."

Hundreds of winged creatures descended down, screeching and beating each other with their wings, desperately tyinging to be the first to their meal.

Luffy sent out a wave of haki but it seemed to have no effect.

"They're in a bloodlust, they can't be intimidated!"

Realising the situation, Nami twirled her staff and a stream of small clouds rose above her. "Luffy! Stretch around me so I don't get hit!" Without questioning the command Luffy, dashed to Nami and stretched his entire body around her.

Just before she was fully encased she swung the staff downward and the room exploded with electricity.

And then silence. Nami enjoyed a brief moment of safety surrounded by Luffy before pulling herself out. Relighting the end of her clima-tact, they looked at the aftermath. Hundreds of small bats lay quivering on the ground, their bodies smouldering from the lightning.

"Vampire bats." Nami stated with disgust.

Luffy eyed the smoking creatures with a strange look. "Do you think… Do you think I could eat them?"

Nami had to refrain herself from whacking his head. "You are what you eat. Which in their case, is humans."

Luffy gulped, deciding that his hunger could wait.

"What happened to the kid and the other thing?"

Nami looked up, a concerned expression on her face. "It took him and then disappeared. We need to rethink what's going on here, Luffy. Why would the creature want to keep the boy alive? Why would it be burning bodies? Who were the zombie-people in the other room?"

Luffy pouted, "Who cares! Let's just kick his ass, he's obviously a bad guy."

Nami supposed he was right, to some degree. "Well, either way the first thing we need to do is get your wound covered. Then we have to figure out a way out of this room."

Luffy grinned, "Already figured it out! If we can't go forwards or backwards we'll just have to go up."

Nami stared at the dark space above them, a bead of sweat formed on her forehead when she realised what he meant.

"I suppose you're right, but warn me before you slingshot us this time. Please." She took the now empty sash off her body and handed it to Luffy. "Tie this around your chest." The captain looked at her like a stubborn child.

"No way! I like that sash, I'm not getting blood on it."

Nami rubbed her temples, as much as she loved Luffy showing sentiment towards her, it always seemed to be at the wrong times. She leaned over him, her eyes becoming narrow and her voice intimidating.

"You're going to put that sash on!" She poked him in the forehead. Then her voice became a bit more gentle. "Then we'll wash it out when we get back to the Sunny."

Luffy nodded, not wanting to incur her wrath anymore, he wrapped the sash around his chest, covering the wounds. Then he wrapped an arm around Nami's waist and gave her a grin.

"You ready?"

"Here we go again." She said with a sigh.


	6. The Pale Green Light Part 3 of 3

Author's note: Hello everyone, I'm very sorry that it took me so long to finish this story. A lot has happened in my personal life in the last couple of months but things are starting to get a bit more steady and I'm getting back into writing. Following this story I'm going to be leaving the one-shots for a bit and starting a more extended plot driven story. If you'd like to see that when it comes later next week make sure you're following me. It will of coarse be Luna, a duh. But it will be a modern AU adaptation of One Piece, I will likely release plot teaser as the first chapter in the next couple of days. Thank you for your patience and for reading my work. It's much appreciated.

**The Pale Green Light: Part 3/3**

Luffy and Nami shot through the air. Nami had become accustomed to Luffy's favourite method of transport and no longer screamed, but the action still turned her face white and her breathing rapid.

"Hey Luffy, what if there's nothing up there! We'll just crash into the ceiling!" Nami yelled with a shake in her voice.

"Nah we'll be fin-"

Luffy was interrupted as his head hit the ceiling and smashed through the stone, leaving his body dangling by the neck. He had managed to stretch his arms down just in time to stop Nami from being crushed, and she now bobbed in the air a few metres below him.

She could hear Luffy's muffled yells above her, trying to tell her something that was lost in the dense stone that separated his head from the rest of his body.

"I can't hear you Luffy! Just get yourself out!"

Luffy wrapped one arm around Nami and gestured with an open palm in frustration with the other. He made the hand into a fist and coated it with haki. In a single swift motion he punched through the ceiling a few metres away from where his head was, the force of the punch created a large hole in the concrete.

He released his haki and grabbed onto the edge of the new cavity. Using it to leverage himself, He pulled down and his head was released with a "pop!" suddenly the two Strawhats were pulled up into the ceiling.

Luffy collapsed onto the concrete and rubbed his neck.

"I was trying to tell you, there's a room up here."

Nami relit her staff and looked at their surroundings. Much like the rest of the building everything was made of concrete and darkness dripped from every corner and crevice. On the wall across from them, was a small service hatch. Nami pointed at it.

"Looks like that's the only way. We better hurry if we want to get the boy back, who knows what that creep is going to do to him."

Luffy nodded in agreement then pouted. "He hardly said anything. Just slashed me and flew away. I don't like him." He stood up and brushed off his pants, then walked over to the hatch. Gripping the hand-wheel either side, Luffy opened it in a single motion. He then stepped aside and motioned with a bow to the dark hole. Nami twitched in anger, now was the time he chose to be a gentleman?

"As if! You got first!"

Luffy shrugged. From his point of view, he'd made a pretty good effort. He pulled himself into the hole and began crawling through the small service-way. Nami followed closely behind him. As they crawled along noises began to softly echo around them. The muffled sounds of screams, shrieks and horrible laughter seeped through the tunnel.

The two pirates shared a glance and then quickened their pace, scraping their knee's on moist concrete. Nami was beginning to feel like something was off. She had wanted Luffy to be in front but now she felt like something could be just behind her. She hadn't thought about the fact that she'd be exposed to a surprise attack.

Luffy yelped happily then spun his head around to face Nami.

"I can see a-"

A line of red flashed through Luffy's eyes and in an instant, he had picked up Nami and launched them down the tunnel. As the tunnel rapidly flew past them, Nami saw two blades come out of the walls and swing down right she had been crouched a moment earlier.

Luffy's back skidded off the ground as he wrapped himself around Nami to protect her. After a couple of bounces they came to a stop. Nami lay panting on top of Luffy, she turned over and pressed her chest against Luffy's, once her face was only an inch from his she smiled sweetly.

Luffy started to wriggle under her weight, as his chest wound was aggravated.

"AH! NAMI STOP! I HAD TO!"

Nami lifted her weight off Luffy by placing an arm either side of his head, with an apologetic smile she leaned down and kissed him on the cheek.

Luffy scowled back at her which made her sigh.

"I know, I know, I just get a huge adrenaline rush when you do something like that, especially when it's out of nowhere. It scares the hell out of me."

Luffy flipped back over and looked down the tunnel. While he was busy inspecting their route, Nami quickly reached over and tightened the knot on the sash. She didn't want his wounds to _actually_ get worse.

"As I thought, there's a light down the end." Luffy commented.

Nami glanced past his shoulder and sure enough, a ways down the tunnel, was a pale green light.

"Let's hope the kid is there." She replied.

As they reached the cavity a horrible sight greeted them. The hole came out 10 metres up on a wall in a great chamber. Below Luffy and Nami was the beast that had attacked them earlier. A giant bat covered in scars and blood. Its fur was filthy and matted, making it look like a rabid wolf. It paced around a large stone slab where the boy lay chained.

The boy was writhing, his wrists looking as if they were going to snap against the cuffs at any second. Froth poured from the edges of his mouth and his eyes showed only white, the pupils having retreated inside his mind.

Nami didn't make a sound but Luffy could feel her nails digging into his shoulder. Without taking his eyes off the bat, Luffy spoke to her calmly.

"I'm going to kill it."

Since having a child, Luffy had developed the belief that there were certain creatures that should not be allowed to exist. His body, mind and soul were all saying this was one of them. It was unnatural, running on instinct but with human cunning hidden behind a thin facade.

"While you deal with the bat, I'll get the boy." Replied Nami, not questioning Luffy's decision to be executioner. Luffy nodded in return, then activated second gear. Steam billowed off his body and his face took on a vicious snarl as he shot out from the pipe. Covering the distance between him and the bat in an instant, his head connected with its body and it was slammed into the floor.

Luffy jumped off the creature and landed on solid ground. The impact had created a small crater where the bat lay twitching.

"You're not done yet…" Muttered Luffy.

A loud screech erupted from the bat's mouth and it's eyes glowed a fierce red as it picked itself up and faced the Pirate King.

"Ssssssoooo, you esssscaped my children. You musssst die." The creature rasped while prowling towards Luffy.

Luffy ignored the comment and shot at the bat again. This time the bat was ready for the attack and leapt to the side in a blur. Luffy's fist flew through the space the bat had been moments earlier. He retracted his arm, then tapped his feet rapidly against the ground and changed directions.

As he was flying towards the bat, Luffy saw Nami land gracefully from the vent and begin running towards the stone slab where the boy lay thrashing. Luffy turned back to the beast and snarled as he threw back both his arms. The outward power of his fists halted his forward momentum and he came to an abrupt stop as he hailed punches onto the beast.

The bat snarled back, quickly wrapping its wings around itself like a shield. Luffy's fists forced the creature back but they couldn't penetrate the sickly brown leather. It didn't matter though, he just needed to buy Nami enough time to get herself and the boy out. Then he could properly unleash.

Ignoring the clap of Luffy's gatling breaking the sound barrier, Nami rushed over to the boy. Despite his injuries and constant shaking, she was relieved to see that he was still breathing steadily. Looking down she found that the cuffs that held the boy were made of leather, Nami grinned as she pulled a knife out from her skirt.

Luffy halted his gatling and began shooting long range punches, each one slamming into the bat at lightning speed. The creature held its defensive posture, releasing sickening gurgles from behind its wings.

With the boy now in her arms, Nami ran towards the only door in the chamber. Luffy saw her on the opposite end of the room and increased the pace of his punches. Just as she passed through the door, Nami yelled at Luffy without looking back.

"GO WILD!"

Luffy grinned at the words then halted his attack. The bat slowly unfurled its wings and glared at him with furious eyes. Lifting it's head up, It let loose a high-pitched screech, which rattled the entire chamber. Luffy fell to his knees and covered his ears as the noise ravaged his mind.

The noise suddenly ceased and although his head was throbbing with pain, Luffy sent out a wave of observation haki. He sensed Nami and the boy still running away, knowing they were safe he tried to steady his breathing.

Above him the bat had taken flight and was now circling Luffy crouched below. The pirate stood back up, then reactivated second gear. He pushed his blood even faster than normal, heating his body to almost boiling point. Steam gushed from his muscles, making his messy black hair billow around his head.

The bat dived as fast as a bullet. But not fast enough. Luffy connected a punch mid-air, faster than the creature could see. The bat was hurtled into the concrete walls. Before it could even start to slide down Luffy had closed the distance. He appeared instantly in front of the creature and grabbed it by the neck. In a heartbeat he tossed the bat down into the centre of the room. It's massive body smashed into the stone altar where the boy had lay minutes earlier, the entire chamber shook and a storm of dust and rubble flew throughout the room.

Luffy landed neatly on the floor and walked calmly towards the hole where the bat lay. He heard a sharp intake of breath come from the beast, Luffy hit it with a wave of conquerors haki. The beast stayed quiet but still rose from the hole.

Before the beast could recover from being dazed Luffy launched himself again. He darted around the room at breakneck speed, stopping every other instant to throw a punch. Each fist hit the bat like a cannon, tossing it around the room as if it were a ragdoll. Luffy continued his onslaught despite the bat making no effort to fight back. It was helpless before the King of the Pirates.

When Luffy stopped, the beast stumbled uneasily. It's wings were broken and tattered and it's face was bloody and swollen from the beating it had just taken. Luffy took a deep breath to steady himself, then threw his arms behind him. Preparing his final attack to kill the hopeless creature.

Just as he shot his arms forward a frail voice cut through the air.

"PLEASE STOP"

Luffy's arms snapped back to his side and he turned to face the voice. Standing in the doorway where Nami had exited earlier was the butler. His brow was heavy with sweat and his chest heaved. Luffy frowned at the man.

"This bat-guy is hurting people and being a creep. I'm going to remove him."

The bat had now collapsed into a heap on the ground and was twitching unnaturally. The old butler looked at it and shook his head.

"The young boy your lady friend took, is the bat. If you kill the bat you'll kill him."

Luffy frowned at the man again. Then rubbed his temples. This was exactly the kind of weird nonsense that he hated dealing with. He decided to cut to the chase.

"Tell me how to kill the bat and save the boy. I don't care about the other details."

The old man gave Luffy a defeated look and hung his head.

"I don't how, please let me explain what happened, then maybe you can help?"

Luffy sighed but resigned himself to trying to understand the situation. He glanced back over at the bat and found it still laying relatively still on the floor. Then he strolled over to the butler. The old man smiled with his rows of brown teeth and gestured for Luffy to sit down.

"Many years ago; that boy was the prince of a great and powerful kingdom. I was an advisor to the king."

Luffy gave up on finding a comfortable seat and squatted next to the butler. The butler knelt, to be level with Luffy.

"The king was growing greedier with every year. He taxed the citizens to the point of poverty and gave back nothing but suffering to his people. I tried to reason with him, but it was pointless. He was gone. So, I devised a plan to save the kingdom. I heard rumours of a devil fruit on the country's black market, a fruit that would be essential."

Luffy's eyes drifted close, a flick to the nose gave him a rude awakening. The butler cleared his throat and continued.

"The fruit was the para-para fruit. It allowed the user to enter another creatures mind and control it like a parasite. I acquired the fruit and brought it back to the palace, intending to eat it. That night the king called an unexpected council and I had to rush from my chambers. I must have forgot to lock the door, because while I was occupied the prince ate the fruit."

Luffy scratched his head.

"Huh, this story sounds kinda familiar." He commented.

The butler flicked him on the nose again and ignored the pirate.

"When I returned from the meeting, I found the prince passed out on my chamber floor. I checked his pulse, he was still alive, but I could not wake him up. I feared the king would think I poisoned him, so I bundled up the boy and fled the palace, hoping to find the cause of the problem."

The butler looked at the bat lying on the floor.

"You see, without maturity or proper training I knew the prince would not be able to control his new power. His mind would have bound to the first creature it found and become trapped, without the knowledge to release the bond. If I found the creature, I could unbind the boy, and no one would know what happened."

"I circled the castle from a distance, hoping the creature would reveal itself. I thought the boy would be attracted back to his own body regardless of the vessel. Sure enough, as the sun was rising a large winged creature landed before me. I was filled with dread as I realised it was a giant vampire bat; a species unique to our kingdom."

Luffy was focused on rolling a piece of rubble in his hands, but still feigned a sound of interest at the information. The Butler ignored Luffy's rudeness this time and continued.

"Usually these bats are dangerous but nothing more than beasts. Too stupid to even hunt effectively, they prefer to target docile cows instead of humans. But his one was different, it's red eyes were cunning and intelligent, it looked at me with such thirst that my blood became stone cold."

The butler shivered.

"The situation was worse than I could have imagined. The boys conscience had been overpowered by the bat, although it was using the boys human intelligence, it's intention and hunger was still that of a beast. I had no idea how to release the prince, so I offered to serve the bat, hoping one day I would figure out a solution and save him. But alas. All these years I've done nothing but serve it human travellers to feast upon. I was too weak to do anything."

The butler hung his head in shame. Muttering under his breath. Luffy just felt relieved that the story was finally over. Standing up he smiled down at the old man.

"Well I'm here now and I'll help. Just tell me what we need to do."

The butler clenched his fists and looked up at Luffy.

"We need to force the bat to release his hold on the prince."

Luffy nodded and walked over to the bat. He knelt down next to the damaged creature and started slapping its head.

"Oi! Let go of the boy you bat-creep."

The butler rushed over and swiped Luffy's hand away.

"Don't aggravate it. There is only one way, I must eat it's heart while it's still alive!"

Luffy grimaced at the idea.

"Are you sure that's the only way? It's pretty gross."

The butler nodded.

"The bat must die before it's mind stops, as the mind fades it will naturally let go of the boy. If it dies instantly the boy will be sucked into the void with it."

Luffy still felt sceptical.

"Can't I just punch it's heart? Why do you have to eat it?"

"Quiet boy! It must be done, hold the beast down!"

Luffy shrugged and complied. He wanted to save the boy and if this was the only way, then he'd do it. He twisted a limb around each of the bat's and firmly held the creature in place. The butler stepped forward and pulled a long knife from inside his suit.

"I've waited 20 years for this part…" He muttered as he stepped forward.

The bat began to shriek and writhe as the butler cut into it's chest a pulled out a beating heart. He looked at the organ hungrily then bit into the soft red flesh. The bat began to spasm and with each second, they grew weaker and weaker. Until the creature lay motionless in Luffy's clutches. He let the lifeless body go and it crashed to the ground in a heap.

The butler stood panting, blood ran down his chin and stained his perfectly white shirt crimson. A large smile came across his face, his brown teeth were now red and dripping. He turned to Luffy.

"The plan worked perfectly. Thank you for your help young man. We should find your lady-friend, I must take the prince back to his kingdom."

Luffy looked at the butler warily, something about the butler made him not like the idea of giving up the boy. The butler smiled at Luffy, revealing his dripping red teeth again.

"Worry not, he his safe with me. It's what is best."

Yes, thought Luffy. It's what is best.

"Come pirate, I'll show you the way back to your ship, I imagine your friend is waiting for us there."

Luffy followed the man out of the chamber and down a long, dark hall.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Out by the boat, Nami quickly prepared the rigging, just in case they needed to make a fast getaway. She had placed the boy on a bed in the cabin and was desperate for Luffy to reappear. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard a startled yell from inside the quarters. She rushed in to find the boy sitting up and rubbing his head, looking very confused. Nami approached him and smiled sweetly, revealing rows of pearly white teeth.

"It's ok, you're safe, I promise."

She knelt next to him and placed a hand on his forehead.

"you feel alright…. Do you have a name?"

The boy looked at her blankly, fear consuming his eyes. Nami sighed and stood up.

"I'll get some water and food for you."

After preparing some dried porridge and a glass of water for the child, Nami went back outside to finish the rigging. As she was tying the last knot, Luffy and the butler came through the mist. Luffy smiled widely at his navigator and waved a hand.

"Oi Nami! Has the boy woken up?"

Nami smiled back warmly and nodded her reply. Luffy gave a little whoop and jumped in the air with excitement.

"He's inside the cabin, be careful though he seems confused and scared."

The Butler reached the edge of the boat and jumped onto the deck. Nami eyes him suspiciously but let him pass.

"The boy knows me, let me speak to him." The Butler said as he passed through to cabin door.

Luffy leaned on the boat railing next to Nami and watched the old man enter their boat.

"You know Nami, I'm really glad you and the boy left. It got super weird." Luffy's face took on a look of disgust as he remembered the Butler cutting open the bat's chest.

"I had to hold him down while that guy pulled out a long knife and slice-"

Nami put a finger to Luffy's lips.

"I don't need to know. Please."

Luffy nodded and then laughed.

"Oh well, it's all solved now anyway. The old man wants to take the boy back to their kingdom, apparently he's a prince or something."

Nami gave Luffy a questioning glance.

"Are you sure it's ok to leave him with the boy? Do they even have a ship?"

Luffy shrugged.

"I think it's what's best. He seems to have a plan."

At that moment the cabin door swung open, revealing the butler cradling the boy in his arms. The boy seemed more relaxed and even gave Nami a wary smile.

"Thank you very much for your help pirates, we would have been stuck in this hell for much longer had you not come." The butler said.

Luffy smiled back at him and rubbed the back of his head.

"We have an old ship moored on the other side of the platform; we must return to our kingdom in haste. The prince has been missing for far too long." Continued the Butler.

Nami raised an eyebrow at the old man, something about him seemed as sinister as the bat.

"Are you sure you don't want us to take you? Your ship must have been sitting there for years, what if it's no longer seaworthy? You could be trapped here."

The butler waved a hand dismissively.

"I have checked the ship regularly over the years, it's still perfectly functional. Trust me, it's what's best."

A warm wave came over Nami and her mind felt numb for a moment.

Yes, she thought. It's what's best.

"Very well. If you are sure." She said.

The butler smiled his brown teeth at her then vaulted back over the edge of the boat.

Luffy ran over to the railing and looked down at him.

"You should at lease stay for a drink to celebrate."

The butler spun to face him.

"No, we must be going."

"Yes…. You must be going…." Replied Luffy.

Before he could get another word in the butler and the boy had disappeared into the fog.

Nami clicked her tongue then turned to Luffy, the sash on his chest had held but blood was beginning to seep through, and she was worried about how much blood he was losing.

"Come on Luffy, let's get that would dressed properly then we can go."

Luffy followed Nami into the cabin with a skip.

"Don't forget to clean the sash!"

Nami sighed. She'd told him that she would, but she had always known that blood rarely washes out.


End file.
